the load on the back, the straddle back lever will once again be a q u a n t u m as you like.

relieves the discomfort w i t h i n the joint. g r o u n d as y o u r h i p s m o v e forward. Do 5 pullups or chinups, then 10 situps. Keep concept of this book. Whether or not you believe rolling shoulder crossing movements can actually cause the brain to make until you are able to perform 20 sets of 5 pushups and 10 sets tendons lie in relation to one another. Even our DNA is in the S t r a d d l e L - PB l o w 27 29 Idem. O n e final general note on planches; w h e n training on the floor, hand positions letters in the alphabet. But, for now, and because it works intensity on the shoulder girdle to be m o r e gradual. (sometimes far below!) w i t h this variation. You will find that straightening pushups, then 1 broad jump. 25 pushups, then 1 broad would not want to do. Adjust, change, and tinker with them In an a d v a n c e d frog stand the knees continue to be braced on the arms; forward while simultaneously attempting to p u s h up into the straddle L w i t h d e v e l o p m e n t of gymnastic abilities a n d is explored t h o r o u g h l y in the do this correctly, your belly will push against the floor and the bad, then we can also retrain our breathing pattern for the A caveat is required here; training the s u p p o r t static strength positions can to the straight leg position. y o u r legs pulled as w i d e apart as possible. The m a i n difference b e t w e e n an a d v a n c e d frog stand a n d the tuck planche is large returns in your coordination, among many other 2A) Squats: Difficulty rating: p r o g r a m s a r o u n d the country the m a n n a is a relatively rare skill a n d movements. Unquestionably s o m e of my athletes are incredibly talented, sit is a preliminary step along the r o a d to a m a n n a . As such, they build up the learn how to do them from an incline position or from your system. In other words, we are not stimulating the brain, the lever. bulletproof. Who cares how silly they make you look! 34 integrated. back to your belly using your legs or arms independently, develops is transferable to a w i d e range of gymnastics skills. Play can lead to living! from the straddle front lever to the front lever. The half front lever is an WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM 24 Idem. frustrating for adults. There are some of you reading this right Quality w o r k on the various progressions is essential for being able to The Progressions Balance is also a key to this exercise. As y o u first begin to learn h o w to lean begin. This is a very challenging position a n d can take years to develop. It is,

synthesizing new tissue and growing at an incredible rate. As great as crawling is, we have found that some clients just the straddle L. Lower to the g r o u n d , switch h a n d s a n d repeat. they certainly would affect how forces travel from the ground performance exercise kinesiology and founder of the CHEK Straightening the angle of the knees, while continuing to m a i n t a i n the flat Front Lever - flat tuck simultaneously lifting the shoulders a n d p u s h i n g b a c k w a r d w i t h the h a n d s . the top position of the m a n n a . we were designed. before. The Vestibular System a n d quicker the d e v e l o p m e n t of the m a n n a will be. significantly less t h a n that of the full front lever. Day 2 excellent intermediate step. m o s t efficient d e v e l o p m e n t of the athlete, d y n a m i c strength training m u s t and we further lose our ability to be bulletproof! decide to take up climbing, this crawl can be a great way to We are simply trying to outsmart what we were designed to regarding where your head should be while you are training easiest for beginners is from the flat tuck back lever simply extend the legs o u t be able to briefly rise off the g r o u n d . Do not be overly concerned. It will p a s s WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM h a v e trained, only t w o w e r e able to execute this element. Once in Difficulty rating: years to build a m a n n a also h a p p e n s to be the simplest a n d most importantly, a solid w o r k ethic. lifting the legs while also simultaneously lifting the hips. The tendency is to on the straddle planche. Finally! After m o n t h s of h a r d consistent w o r k the e n d The p r i m a r y difference on this variation is that the knees will n o w be straight. Like regular L-sits, straddle Ls are m u c h m o r e difficult w h e n performed on 5. Learn how to run sprints. uncomfortable for y o u r wrists, these progressions can also be performed on L-sit. BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY so the eyes are in place to see the world. Heads up! The way horizontal or level w i t h y o u r shoulders w i t h an approximately 45 angle anatomy chart of muscles and notice how the muscles and the floor as well as on the bars. W o r k h a r d a n d persevere in the p u r s u i t of the hips shoulder high. D e p e n d i n g on y o u r initial strength levels, it m a y take increase b o t h at the same w o r k o u t . BE PREPARED - just a small m o v e m e n t A b o u t 75% of my senior athletes can perform a m a n n a ; w i t h several of those large returns in your coordination, among many other 24 Idem. The neural connections in the brain are much like the While h o l d i n g y o u r h i p s shoulder high, floor at all times. At this time, raising the knees m a y only be d o n e w i t h an vestibular system is stimulated by neck movement, among The Progressions triceps is not at all u n u s u a l . develop rotary trunk stability. It prepares us for gait;

c o m m o n mistake by beginners is to squeeze one lat h a r d e r t h a n the other rectus femoris (the muscle in the u p p e r m i d d l e of y o u r quadriceps). If the straddle L. This rolling version helps to alleviate that p r o b l e m by utilizing Door Publications, 1999), p. 79. elbow to your knee while standing, try doing them while you BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY girdle to be able to successfully perform it. O u t of the t h o u s a n d s of w i t h y o u r shoulders w i t h an approximately 45 degree angle b e t w e e n the a r m s 29 Idem. Be sure to r e m e m b e r to keep h i p s shoulder h i g h a n d elbows tight a n d straight. have quite a bit of variety in my diet. It allows me to eat L, the straddle L should h a v e a forward lean while in support; the higher the regular part of your life. T Our center is not a two dimensional X. It is three U p o n reaching the correct position, y o u r knees will be higher t h a n y o u r It bears re-mentioning however, that a correct tuck planche is executed w i t h decide to take up climbing, this crawl can be a great way to h a n d outside of y o u r leg just in front of the hips. P u s h up a n d a t t e m p t to h o l d toes. A r r a n g e yourself so that y o u r knees are resting against y o u r bent be intense. Your goal is to eventually be able to pull y o u r hips up to a n d will greatly increase the time required to master this position. low and your feet travel to the outsides of your arm. It is as if DVD, The Secrets of Primitive Patterns. Notice that this is the only static position in our planche progressions w i t h how to do a few basic moves to help you get started. N o w lift off of the bars while Difficulty rating: 19 both directions. If a client has a hard time rolling, we know projects/project_ideas/MatlSci_p021.shtml now who cannot crawl well. Others of you may find that you c o m m o n misconception on the m a n n a is to think that the position is achieved The Progressions believe we can press reset with certain movements to mobility through movement (some very particular Though we have not found any solid sequence to performing this out! that Movement on all fours also helps to align the spine at Back Lever To initiate the flat back, from the tuck back lever extend the h i p s back while combination of a b d o m i n a l strength a n d active flexibility; w h i c h develops a will ignore the straight legs for n o w a n d focus solely on b u i l d i n g our Rolling is simply the act of lying on the floor and If the m a n n a is a rare skill, the h i g h m a n n a is nearly non-existent. In fact, other Back Lever - flat tuck Free Time: Same as above DVD, The Secrets of Primitive Patterns. Manna - high front levers a n d planches are all examples of static strength elements. I h a v e Begin from a straddle sit on the floor. Partially roll b a c k w a r d t h e n quickly roll t e n d o n strength of the joints, as well as h a v i n g a p r o f o u n d effect on core

forward the s h o u l d e r s m u s t press in order to compensate for the change in WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM and with these movements. Do crosscrawls super slow WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM he straddle L is a graceful a n d elegant m o v e m e n t . It is an excellent life to its fullest, you need to be healthy. vestibular system is stimulated by neck movement, among Difficulty rating: resulting in a b o d y position that is s k e w e d sideways. excellent lower back strength a n d flexibility. Gray Cook and Lee Burton, Secrets of Primitive Patterns, b e t w e e n the wrists a n d elbows. The legs should n o t be touching the arms. of the h a n d s will cause most athletes to fail at this version. vertical straddled V. Do not give in to the t e m p t a t i o n to focus on lifting the and we will weaken our core. Everything together makes the Feet, much like the hands, are full of nerve endings that send BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY ratio y o u m a y ask? As gymnasts, it is literally impossible to neglect this p a r t of frustrating for adults. There are some of you reading this right WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM L-sit - PB advanced the legs together. In the final position, a half back lever will continue to The L-sit on the Xtreme Rings is everything that the PB L-sit is - squared. D u e the back. N o t e that in the tuck planche the back is curved, while in the flat ground.42 The leg muscles are indeed part of the core, and From Tim: anatomy chart of muscles and notice how the muscles and effective m e t h o d of b u i l d i n g m a n n a s . The best w a y that I h a v e found over the Center yourself on a set of parallel bars (PB), parallets or p u s h u p bars. If y o u r River Books, 2005), p. 131. development in motor skills.18 Remember, all your muscles m u c h m o r e rapidly. WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM As progressing to the tuck back lever substantially increased the intensity of d u r i n g a s u p p o r t for the first time. For information on executing a correct gains from this m o v e m e n t . Focus on maintaining a flat back w i t h completely pushups, then 1 broad jump. 25 pushups, then 1 broad The horizontal m i d d l e split h o l d is the position that y o u will s p e n d at least try to keep your eyes up. The crawling movement should be allows the chest to r e m a i n elevated, w h i c h is essential in eventually achieving 19 Difficulty rating: You can check Tim out at www.OPTfitness.net or email him of play and you should be on your way to becoming Since we were just discussing strength training, We thought bringing your legs closer together. WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM For the beginner, this exercise will n e e d to be d o n e on the PBs, h i g h parallets, people, that is play. Remember, these are just examples! behind them. Namely, eat when youre hungry and eat for Rather t h a n all exceptional athletes, w h a t I h a v e developed is an efficient a n d nor lifted u p ) will aid in m a i n t a i n i n g a flat back d u r i n g the straddle back

length of your static h o l d or the extension of your position. Do n o t try to pointing at the ceiling. The tendency here is to allow the hips to close, thereby In b o t h instances of either core or s h o u l d e r / g i r d l e failure, the feet will sink shoulder girdle & elbow joint, w h i c h is exactly w h e r e it n e e d s to be in order to 7 bulletproof. Who cares how silly they make you look! Front Lever - tuck 27 Difficulty rating: It is composed of highly sensitive organs called the utricle, keep crawling around as adults! skills. This simplifies y o u r training a n d increasing the effectiveness of y o u r For the front lever series m a k e sure to use a shoulder w i d t h o v e r h a n d grip accessible. A t t e m p t i n g to raise the h i p s by leaning back rather t h a n pressing the h i p s w i t h patience a n d a lot of sweat, m a n y of the people w h o follow my p r o g r a m m o v e m e n t can m a k e the tuck planche. efficient. further forward in front of the wrists w h i l e maintaining the parallel position forces cross through our center from left to right, right to left, why do we do it so well and so easily, so instinctively? Be sure to w o r k in a clear area, w h e r e y o u have r o o m to roll b a c k w a r d if WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM b o t h h a n d s in the center. There will be a m o m e n t a r y h o l d of the straddle L at Dan John, Never Let Go (Santa Cruz: On Target 45 angle to be best. Some swear by s u p p o r t on fingertips (my personal provide stimulation to the developing vestibular system. This WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM master it on your hands and knees, and then in the Spider Your strength will continue to i m p r o v e w i t h consistent practice. 21 allowing for faster communication between the hemispheres Crosscrawls are nothing new. Youve probably even done that this is a n o t a ring planche a n d that w i t h the p r o p e r progressions a n d straddle L, n o w a t t e m p t to lift y o u r h i p s to shoulder high by pressing y o u r O n e day, one of the senior g y m n a s t s challenged me to a h a n g i n g leg lift Door Publications, 1999), p. 79. so the eyes are in place to see the world. Heads up! The way behind them. Namely, eat when youre hungry and eat for How to CrossCrawl Remember, your palms and feet are tied to your core years of consistent practice will be required to develop the m a n n a . H o w e v e r , to be able to adequately h a n d l e the n e w training load. As m e n t i o n e d quickly. Place yourself, so that y o u are standing or sitting in a straddle w i t h your above the rings. Do n o t b e n d the elbows, y o u should feel the biceps pressing With this variation it is perfectly fine to continue to allow y o u r legs to h a n g WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM perform the spiderman crawl for a continuous 3 minutes, straddle L, the m o r e substantial will be the forward lean. Once y o u feel comfortable w i t h the tuck planche, y o u can increase the

receive regular vestibular stimulation show advanced a c c o m p a n y i n g lift of the hips. Constantly strive to p u s h the h i p s further a n d bring y o u r legs together until y o u h a v e reached a horizontal m a n n a position. As y o u r strength improves, continue to press y o u r hips further in front of why do we do it so well and so easily, so instinctively? Straddle L w i d e r the better. You should actually feel y o u r hips actively pulling y o u r legs Tuck y o u r legs a n d a t t e m p t to lift t h e m until they are parallel with the floor. forward strongly. Also strive to k e e p the t h u m b s t u r n e d out d u r i n g the From Mike: training. beginning w h e n necessary a n d should be discontinued as soon as possible. A strength). I cranked o u t ten repetitions w i t h o u t ever h a v i n g d o n e the exercise Difficulty rating: Back Lever positions are provided. Again, going barefoot may be the way to go if youre trying eat anything all day Sunday, then go to bed. On Monday, works wonders for the client. We have witnessed rolling WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM either an arched back or pike in the hips. In the case of shoulder g i r d l e / l a t s Day 2 h a n d s directly b e h i n d y o u r glutes. ago a n d I h a v e found that training straddle Ls several times a w e e k greatly 3 reps at 90% T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING d e v e l o p m e n t of a m a n n a simply because they w e r e too impatient to s p e n d the fake crawling. It is deliberate. Your shoulders and hips have W h a t a b o u t relative strength a n d developing a h i g h strength to b o d y w e i g h t 37 Difficulty rating: by getting on your hands and knees, keeping a long spine shoes, or minimalist shoes. They will allow your foot to In this position the a m o u n t of help that the knees can p r o v i d e is minimized as d y n a m i c strength exercises, as outlined in The D y n a m i c Physique. H o w e v e r Manna Do 5 pullups or chinups, then 10 situps. Keep two days a week with the bulk of their time and energy being Difficulty rating: before again continuing the d a y ' s w o r k o u t . m o s t other conventional a b d o m i n a l exercise s e e m like child's play. best. Adjust the intensity of this m o v e m e n t by increasing or decreasing the will simply stop y o u r m o t i o n at a V-sit. As y o u continue p u s h i n g forward a n d T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING In the next four chapters, we will explore these movements, Our center is not a two dimensional X. It is three m a n y b o d y w e i g h t skills; especially skills involving core a n d pull-up forward will result in a total lack of progress on this skill your head? "flattening" will greatly increase the intensity of the tuck planche. In fact, I Constantly using your accessory muscles to breathe has a breathers, and we start using our accessory muscles to

time passion. Mike has pursued continuing education with n e w d e m a n d s being placed on t h e m over the course of a few weeks. As I mentioned, the m a n n a is generally a rare skill; except in my p r o g r a m . W a y back w h e n , w h e n I w a s a b e g i n n i n g gymnast, my first coach h a d us do and powerful forces; the key to a strong and resilient body.8 ,, foundation. The wrists will consequently require special physical p r e p a r a t i o n Back Lever - half Remember, your palms and feet are tied to your core Feet, much like the hands, are full of nerve endings that send WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM some crawl backwards, some dont crawl at all, though they from their position on y o u r chest. Balance is critical here. As y o u extend y o u r This is n o t to insinuate that d y n a m i c strength w o r k will not take place in o u r BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY P l a n c h e - a d v a n c e d frog s t a n d the a p p r o p r i a t e h i p strength necessary to perform it on the floor. as they struggle to h a n d l e the load of your b o d y w e i g h t . The contraction will the center of gravity. y o u get stronger in the straddle planche, y o u should increase the difficulty by allow y o u to start w i t h y o u feet m u c h lower a n d m a k e the exercise m o r e regular part of your life. b e t w e e n the a r m s a n d torso while maintaining y o u r "flattened" back. To Front Lever - straddle 90% of your developmental m a n n a time in. Most people will fail in the Straddle L - XR assessment tool for our clients, we have found that these what he knows. Tim has had several training articles back to your belly using your legs or arms independently, to h a v e a great deal of difficulty initially w i t h lifting into the horizontal p r i m a r y difference b e t w e e n the tuck a n d flat tuck planche is the position of considered s o m e w h a t exotic. Even a m o n g our U.S. Olympic level athletes WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM Planche - half Sitting on the floor in a straddle, place one h a n d in the center a n d the other horizontal position. In all probability, at first, y o u will only be able to d r o p Difficulty rating: allowing for faster communication between the hemispheres stronger and you are now ready to explore more levels of Bringing y o u r legs together p r e m a t u r e l y increases the difficulty of the element B our training. It w o u l d be like asking a fish to not get wet. D u e to the fact that The reason m o s t people fail to develop a m a n n a is d u e to a flawed experience along the way. My destination is complete athletic Performing midline crossing movements, also known as 5. Learn how to run sprints. here; lean forward strongly, k e e p the elbows locked w i t h the hips a n d back WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM levers to completely trash y o u r core. R e m e m b e r that y o u are s u p p o r t i n g the WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM go t h r o u g h the progressions patiently a n d thoroughly. that y o u r weight will n o w be b o r n e solely by y o u r a r m s a n d shoulder girdle;

Keeping the h e a d neutral (neither tucked d o w n concept of this book. Whether or not you believe rolling development in motor skills.18 Remember, all your muscles Idem. As w i t h most of the preceding variations, the half front lever continues to be often m e a s u r e d in m o n t h s , not weeks. Don't get too caught up in minutiae or allow us to be comfortable so we dont have to move. Things power boosting reflex is called the positive support reaction. circles. You can even try them while eating green eggs and hemispheres of your brain with the coordinated movement. stands are m u c h easier t h a n tuck planches d u e to the fact that utilizing the become fully connected and integrated, in every sense, these m u c h harder. position is lost, immediately r e t u r n back to the 1/2BL to p r e p a r e for the next the bars is simply too low. As y o u will n o w be h o l d i n g y o u r legs horizontal a n d parallel to the floor y o u synthesizing new tissue and growing at an incredible rate. "flat" back. This position will cause all of the muscle fibers in your back to fire the feet slightly above the knees. The h i p s in height should be s o m e w h e r e inBUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY Once the tuck front lever feels firmly in control, it is time to m o v e on to the flat Trueprotein.com) mixed in throughout the day. I like to mix still a p p l y here. Performed correctly, the back s h o u l d be flat, the elbows Difficulty rating: This the a t t e m p t at the 60-second L-sit crushed him. practice it is possible to increase your strength in static positions relatively Since we were just discussing strength training, We thought decrease the leverage of the m o v e m e n t , subsequently greatly increasing the T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING W Difficulty rating: both directions. If a client has a hard time rolling, we know athletes. Even as small an adjustment as one inch forward of the h i p s in front strength. The reverse is h o w e v e r not true. ymnastically speaking, static strength is the ability to h o l d or maintain the to the Horizontal L. The difference b e t w e e n this a n d the prior version is Unfortunately p u s h u p b a r s will not w o r k for most beginners, as the height of Difficulty rating: the grip that y o u prefer. If y o u find that a flat h a n d s u p p o r t on the floor is too BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY friend which is much more valuable to me than any physical k e e p y o u r legs bent in this first variation of the straddle L. Unlike the regular for n e w trainees. d r o p b e l o w the level of y o u r knees, y o u are attempting to go too h i g h for y o u r time will be a major milestone in y o u r athletic development. skin, joints and muscles, your movement map will be clearer. BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY Difficulty rating: It is a grave error to allow the legs to rest on the arms d u r i n g this element. w h i c h quite frankly cannot be d e v e l o p e d any other w a y . After the 'basic foundation is achieved, the p r i m a r y focus of o u r Gymnastic

to the t r e m e n d o u s instability of the rings, y o u will probably find it Warmup by pressing reset. your sense of self, your reality, your balance, your posture, shoes, but I would suggest when you train, or play, you Play can lead to living! farther t h a n the h i p s , the h i p s m u s t rise also in order to enable the m a n n a to Difficulty rating: keep crawling around as adults! River Books, 2005), p. 48. b e t w e e n these t w o exercises can be extreme. A d v a n c e d frog s t a n d s help to Allan Bower in a Manna at 7yrs old Again, going barefoot may be the way to go if youre trying The 1/2 Planche will greatly intensify t h e stress on the lower back while in the begin in a full squat a n d place your h a n d s next to y o u r toes. N o w , as in the BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY P r o g r a m Design section. WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM front lever will be. of the US Jr. National Team In the beginning, squeezing i n w a r d w i t h the a r m s into y o u r lats will also be of system. In other words, we are not stimulating the brain, the parallel to the floor. P l a n c h e - flat t u c k held flat w i t h no h u n c h i n g or c u r v a t u r e allowed. Do n o t allow y o u r chest to Strive to maintain your "flat" back position. If y o u are unable to do so, y o u Reverse lunge 15 steps per leg, do 10 pushups, then Fundamental Static Positions strength trainee. rather t h a n p a l m s u p ; unless there is an injury that n e e d s to be t a k e n into Difficulty rating: conditioned, increase your time and/or your level of activity. Carla Hannaford, Smart Moves (Salt Lake City: Great your accessory muscles. Muscles require energy to contract. crazy and mix it up a bit if you like! Having said all of tied together in some way. You want to get a strong core? The Progressions planche position c o m p a r e d to that of the straddle planche. It will still, As for the grip, this is a personal choice, h o w e v e r I r e c o m m e n d p a l m s d o w n m o m e n t u m . For additional information on utilizing the excellent technique of Performing midline crossing movements, also known as j u m p in intensity of load. Do n o t u n d e r any circumstances, allow yourself to order to preserve balance. This of course causes the h i p flexors a n d rectus crazy and mix it up a bit if you like! Having said all of tuck L a n d that you n e e d to w o r k on t w o chairs or elevated bars. In the of the knees a n d hips. Idem. integrated. The back lever is also a necessary stepping-stone t o w a r d building the straight training load on the shoulder girdle a n d lower back. If something is important, you should do it everyday.34 h a s a strong straddle planche (19 seconds), b u t n o t a strong front lever, a n d h o l d (MSH) held in a horizontal position. H o w e v e r , for m o s t people the

opposite knee, you simply touch your opposite hand or addition, there are those w h o w o u l d quibble w i t h the planche being included yourself up w i t h only y o u r h a n d s on the floor a n d y o u r knees on y o u r elbows held tightly into y o u r chest, a t t e m p t to lower y o u r hips b e h i n d y o u to a BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY your accessory muscles. Muscles require energy to contract. Difficulty rating: Manna w i t h the calves in a vertical position w i t h the feet pointing at the ceiling. Carla Hannaford, Smart Moves (Salt Lake City: Great Be sure to m a i n t a i n the correct position for y o u r legs, if y o u feet start to BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY r e m o v e the legs from the floor a n d go directly to the planche. volume, Liquid Steel. low and your feet travel to the outsides of your arm. It is as if the h i g h m a n n a . To proceed to the h i g h m a n n a from the m a n n a , focus on optimal s u r p l u s of basic strength a n d p r e m a t u r e l y focus on d y n a m i c strength As the leverage is m u c h less on this exercise a n d the difficulty is higher, y o u N o w that a basic foundation h a s b e e n laid, w o r k on the M a n n a itself can until you are able to perform 20 sets of 5 pushups and 10 sets I injured my left h i p some years knees on bent-arms allowed the legs to s u p p o r t a great deal of the b o d y ' s Fundamental Static Positions If something is important, you should do it everyday.34 the area y o u are w o r k i n g in is safe a n d appropriate for this training. gymnastics elements and, seemingly, the simplest of all a b d o m i n a l the h a n d s a n d wrists, especially while m a i n t a i n i n g straight legs. Therefore we eat junk all the time. You must take responsibility for what w i t h the shoulders. As w i t h the front lever, m a k e sure that the elbows are static strength element. H o w e v e r it is not u n c o m m o n for a beginning trainee h o w e v e r m o s t are simply persistent w i t h average talent and, m o s t a regular y o u are simply leaning o n the straight-arm rather t h a n being p r o p p e d u p b y to work together. With crawling, they are both working Do not be overly concerned if y o u r n o w straight legs are far below horizontal. For m o r e advanced athletes, the regular L - s i t m a y be m a d e m u c h m o r e life to its fullest, you need to be healthy. nerves, your movement map will get fuzzy. your head? Carla Hannaford, Smart Moves (Salt Lake City: Great people, that is play. Remember, these are just examples! parallets, on p u s h u p bars or e v e n on a set of kettlebells. maintain a flat back a n d hips, b u t n o w the calves will be vertical w i t h the feet efficiently. A n d m o r e importantly, this p a l m s d o w n grip also helps to p r e p a r e WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM horizontal legs. L-sit - PB l o w The h i g h straddle L is exceptionally difficult a n d very few athletes Once y o u can hold the Low Straight Leg L comfortably, it is time to progress Difficulty rating: T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING

and we further lose our ability to be bulletproof! Reverse lunge 15 steps per leg, do 10 pushups, then Gymnastic Bodies volume, The D y n a m i c Physique. H o w e v e r , to ensure the will greatly lessen y o u r leverage on this exercise a n d m a k e the m o v e m e n t Front Lever until that time occurs, our p r i m a r y focus n e e d s to r e m a i n on establishing a flat. The p r i m a r y difference of this variation is that n o w the knees will be b e n t W h e n performing a straddle L on the rings always attempt to lift the legs 17 u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the actual m o v e m e n t itself. The c o m m o n belief is that a Vair, and you are not using as much energy by breathing with The strength that this position femoris to c r a m p strongly d u r i n g the maintenance of the position, especially You can check Tim out at www.OPTfitness.net or email him achieve this position, think of pulling y o u r s h o u l d e r s back a w a y from y o u r y o u will unable to m a i n t a i n a flat back (straight body) position resulting in capable of anything to bodies capable of being paper Your goal is to eventually be able to pull y o u r h i p s up to horizontal or level When in life do we move the body without allowing the neck perform the spiderman crawl for a continuous 3 minutes, the knees greatly increases the strength d e m a n d s on y o u r hips. A c c o m m o d a t e As y o u continue leaning forward y o u will position. There is a big debate in the training community speed of the roll forward. this static h o l d w i t h higher a n d higher legs, until y o u achieve nearly or your inner sense of self and all your senses, is intimately For m a n y trainees there is significant j u m p in intensity w h e n progressing For that reason, we will begin our quest for the m a n n a , w i t h the bent leg Playing may surprise you. You may find that you start letters in the alphabet. But, for now, and because it works m i d d l e split hold, y o u m a y m o v e on to the straight leg version. WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM we are w o r k i n g w i t h b o d y w e i g h t progressions, all of our maximal a n d Difficulty rating: WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM to work together. With crawling, they are both working Planche held up simply means crown of your head to the sky, and key to becoming bulletproof. It is the key to life. The next 2B) Dips: 5 sets of 1015 reps by getting on your hands and knees, keeping a long spine stated - p u s h i n g the hips forward in front of the h a n d s , not on lifting the legs. Technically this is not a p u r e static strength element, b u t rather an e m b e d d e d correctly requires t r e m e n d o u s triceps a n d shoulder strength as well as lift higher t h a n horizontal. The higher the legs a n d h i p s lift, the farther Be careful to m a i n t a i n a horizontal position. the position, striving to lift y o u r h i p s to shoulder high. With consistent however, be significantly less t h a n that of the planche. The same general There are several options for entering a straddle back lever. Probably the 2B) Dips: 5 sets of 1015 reps forward d u r i n g the back lever variations will greatly aid y o u in maintaining a b d o m i n a l strength is very low, you m a y also begin on t w o chairs, as this will

Allan is now 13 years old and a 5 year veteran member cave in. N o w while maintaining this "flat b a c k e d " position, attempt to p u s h Begin this position by a s s u m i n g a full squat a n d placing y o u r h a n d s on the h a n d s a n d also u n t o y o u r knees b y leaning t h e m o n y o u r elbows. Using your t h a n my o w n athletes, I h a v e personally only seen one other in competition. little and you will see what we mean. exceedingly difficult to maintain the s a m e good b o d y position that y o u h a v e skin, joints and muscles, your movement map will be clearer. d y n a m i c strength training already occurs w i t h i n a matrix of relative strength. allow us to be comfortable so we dont have to move. Things increase the height of y o u r m a n n a , simply p u s h y o u r hips forward. Keep Crosscrawls are nothing new. Youve probably even done assessment tool for our clients, we have found that these help get a person connected. By pushing a Swiss ball the right hemisphere, or the gestalt side, and the left beginning, it is perfectly acceptable for y o u r feet to be far b e l o w horizontal. favorite) a n d others w i t h the h a n d s completely flat. Just experiment a n d find Skip a mile. proficient at t h e m a n d can hold a 10-second front lever. A n o t h e r athlete, Josh, held w i t h the hips a n d back flat, h o w e v e r n o w the legs are b r o u g h t together ease this transition considerably. works wonders for the client. We have witnessed rolling key to becoming bulletproof. It is the key to life. The next do this correctly, your belly will push against the floor and G train the SB w i t h less t h a n a totally flat back. If at anytime, the flat back WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM knees on y o u r elbows will allow y o u r legs to h e l p y o u r shoulders bear the While h a n g i n g in an o v e r h a n d grip (i.e. w i t h fingers p o i n t i n g a w a y from you), projects/project_ideas/MatlSci_p021.shtml easiest thing in the world, right? W r o n g . Correctly done, the L-sit will m a k e s u p p o r t position on the rings, see the XR s u p p o r t entry in the section on dip When in life do we move the body without allowing the neck D e p e n d i n g on y o u r individual strengths, yes it is quite c o m m o n for front great assistance to you. This practice h o w e v e r should only be u s e d in the and we will weaken our core. Everything together makes the straight. Bending the elbows greatly lessens the intensity of these exercises D o n ' t w o r r y , h a v e fun w i t h it a n d enjoy s o m e n e w training. Some pillows second L w a s the expected standard. Though we have not found any solid sequence to performing held up simply means crown of your head to the sky, and efficient. least it has worked well for me. Just 5 minutes a day can athlete to transition into a n d out of the back lever from other positions m o r e Carla Hannaford, Smart Moves (Salt Lake City: Great the b e n t elbow. Utilizing the a d v a n c e d frog stand also allows the increase of capable of anything to bodies capable of being paper The Vestibular System Once y o u h a v e m a s t e r e d the flat tuck planche position y o u are r e a d y to w o r k y o u are comfortable. Sit up straight a n d be sure to keep y o u r elbows locked WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM breathers, and we start using our accessory muscles to

this to h a p p e n . There is no n e e d to immediately go to a fully extended circles. You can even try them while eating green eggs and receive regular vestibular stimulation show advanced designed to do. If all you want to do is just be a good parent, BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC B O D Y The first midline crossing movement we would like to difficulty of this exercise by progressing on to the flat tuck planche. The There is a ton of great information out there when it comes to BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY b r i n g y o u r knees to y o u r chest a n d t h e n strive to lift y o u r h i p s in front of y o u h a n d s in-between your legs. With y o u r h a n d s comfortably spaced apart, lift H M S H is a very challenging position a n d will n e e d to be built up to gradually. function or the joints to move. This distorts the proprioceptive performance guidelines for the p r e v i o u s planche variations continue to apply experience along the way. My destination is complete athletic directly to the shoulder girdle. For m a n y non-gymnasts, the j u m p in intensity It is essential on this m o v e m e n t as w i t h all of the progressions in the m a n n a Once a strong back lever is developed, the planche progression will proceed T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING knee.23 They can be done sitting, standing, or lying down. help get a person connected. By pushing a Swiss ball will absolutely crush the core a n d lower back of the beginning gymnastics This variation requires vastly less flexibility t h a n b o t h h a n d s in the center a n d the biceps for the strain later on of XR planches a n d iron crosses. increases the muscular d e m a n d s of this m o v e m e n t . For beginners on the to allow y o u r back to curve as y o u learn a n d b u i l d strength in the m o v e m e n t . WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM tied together in some way. You want to get a strong core? is true. The position of our head and neck can facilitate do we reconcile these ideas? We examine the principles just by learning how to use your own body. or even in-between t w o chairs as they will probably not as yet h a v e d e v e l o p e d Constantly using your accessory muscles to breathe has a eat anything all day Sunday, then go to bed. On Monday, // that Movement on all fours also helps to align the spine at possess the combined strength a n d flexibility of the back, h i p a n d straightforward. It does h o w e v e r require great dedication; for m o s t people 1-2 Difficulty rating: compensate. The w i d e r y o u r legs are, the easier the straddle planche will be. straight over head. Using your right leg, reach across your h i p s back a n d u p . Your forward lean will increase as y o u r hips go higher. straight over head. Using your right leg, reach across your On lifting y o u will naturally w a n t to allow the feet to lift above the hips. This the bad, then we can also retrain our breathing pattern for the a n d to the side. M a k e sure to continue to lean forward strongly w h e n H o w e v e r for those p l a n n i n g to progress to the straight planche in the future, as he back lever is usually one of the first "real" gymnastics strength a r m s locked a n d the rings t u r n e d out that y o u m a s t e r e d d u r i n g the regular XR and powerful forces; the key to a strong and resilient body.8 The first midline crossing movement we would like to Initially, do n o t be overly concerned about y o u r feet being below horizontal

Difficulty rating: shoes, but I would suggest when you train, or play, you concentrate on the leg lift only and, w h i l e it is true that the legs do travel For m a n y trainees, a d v a n c e d frog stands are a necessary intermediate step to From the straddle back lever, b e n d the knees while simultaneously bringing as w i d e as possible a n d t h e n striving to pull t h e m w i d e r still. C o n t i n u e to feel eat junk all the time. You must take responsibility for what T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING focus should be keeping the h i p s pressed forward. Great pressure will be felt friend which is much more valuable to me than any physical learning about all things health related and he loves sharing O exercises. H o w h a r d can it be to simply stay in one position? It m u s t be the m a n n a is forward extension of the h i p s in front of the h a n d s ; or m o r e simply as y o u can. load of y o u r b o d y w e i g h t . current level of strength. The following progressions m a y be performed on the Xtreme Rings, a single Once again the h i p s will struggle to close d u r i n g the extension, do not allow Difficulty rating: straight a n d level. Difficulty rating: the h a n d s . Do this while continuing to maintain the flat back w i t h chest out, eventually build up to this skill; for a m a n n a there are no shortcuts. You m u s t n o t allow the knees to lift above the h i p s , b u t keep t h e m b o t h parallel to the a n d feet stay level w i t h one another. U n d e r no circumstances allow the feet to have quite a bit of variety in my diet. It allows me to eat Patience a n d perseverance are p o t e n t tools. Progress on the planche is most alone. Do not use y o u r knees on y o u r elbows for assistance. H o l d i n g the they could get into. It is very good for building shoulder girdle strength a n d excellence w i t h this position. Achieving the horizontal L-sit for substantial Do not lean back, nor should y o u allow y o u r h e a d to fall back. This is y o u r strength increases, y o u r legs will naturally rise higher. either raise above or d r o p b e n e a t h t h e hips, they s h o u l d r e m a i n level in With the Gymnastics Bodies Program, all increases in m a x i m a l a n d d y n a m i c amenable to its inclusion inner unit and an outer unit. However you view the core, it is straight-arm strength is a completely different animal t h a n b e n t - a r m strength position. There is a big debate in the training community 3 reps at 90% Be p r e p a r e d for some exceptional c r a m p s in b o t h y o u r h i p flexors a n d the Gray Cook and Lee Burton, Secrets of Primitive Patterns, marching backwards, try them super slow, try them while requisite a m o u n t of time developing the H M S H . the right hemisphere, or the gestalt side, and the left by themselves. We do h o w e v e r focus strongly on front levers. Allan is quite River Books, 2005), p. 131. extending the legs behind. time passion. Mike has pursued continuing education with patience, this position is attainable by a reasonably fit, h a r d w o r k i n g athlete. first thing we start doing when we start learning how to Everyone says breakfast is the most important meal of the

While w o r k i n g the various planche variations, strive to h o l d the hips level WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM b o d y motionless in an often mechanically d i s a d v a n t a g e d position. L-sits, conditioned, increase your time and/or your level of activity. T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING simultaneously attempting to p u s h the h i p s forward off of y o u r wrists. Do h o w e v e r the elbows h a v e progressed from a bent to a straight-arm position. two days a week with the bulk of their time and energy being Do n o t try to lift your legs at the expense of pressing the h i p s forward; this very i m p o r t a n t to keep the elbows straight, as b e n d i n g the elbows will greatly tuck front lever. As w i t h the flat tuck planche, the m a i n difference here is the F r o m the half back lever begin to gradually extend a n d straighten the knees. tendons lie in relation to one another. Even our DNA is in the Difficulty rating: strength necessary for the V-sit, w h i c h is essentially a leg lift on the h a n d s a n d m i d d l e split hold. At first y o u m a y n o t be able to m o v e the h i p s forward off As time passes, y o u will achieve a straddled 1/2 V position a n d t h e n finally a Difficulty rating: is incorrect. It is essential on a t t e m p t i n g to rise up into position that the h i p s The neural connections in the brain are much like the stronger and you are now ready to explore more levels of a d v a n c e d frog stand. Allowing the elbows to b e n d removes stress from the Difficulty rating: performance exercise kinesiology and founder of the CHEK the back lever n e e d s to be established before a planche will be successful. The m a i n d e v e l o p m e n t a l exercise for b u i l d i n g a m a n n a is the m i d d l e split ineffective a n d will result in a great deal of w a s t e d time a n d effort. To they certainly would affect how forces travel from the ground c r a m p s become too intense, stop the exercise for some stretching a n d massage Playing may surprise you. You may find that you start probably n e e d to build up to it gradually. At first, simply lift y o u r h i p s as h i g h The shoulders should be slightly leaning forward. It m a y be performed either In appearance, the m a n n a resembles an inverted L- sit. To execute a m a n n a As I said earlier, you have to put this information to the test. fake crawling. It is deliberate. Your shoulders and hips have while at the same time leaning back w i t h y o u r shoulders. At this time it is fine as you like. exert d u r i n g these exercises. Also, as w i t h the u p c o m i n g planche series, it is the knees are no longer allowed to p r o v i d e additional support. Once again b e n t elbows. learn how to do them from an incline position or from your knees tightly to the chest will m a k e this exercise easier. At first y o u m a y only rings, it is often easiest to begin from a bent leg straddle L a n d then extend o u t lessen the intensity of these exercises a n d thereby dramatically lower the 17 S t r a d d l e L - o n e h a n d center there are only a few w h o can do the m a n n a correctly. still bent, so be diligent a n d keep t h e m straight. Planche - straddle found static strength training to be invaluable in building the ligament a n d Difficulty rating: forget to keep the shoulders pulling back a n d the h a n d s pressing d o w n .

d e v e l o p e d on the PBs. Be patient. Generally y o u r stabilizers will adjust to the y o u r h i p s forward in front of y o u r h a n d s while continuing to h o l d the legs elbow to your knee while standing, try doing them while you function or the joints to move. This distorts the proprioceptive like Dr. Leroy Perry, the first chiropractor ever to serve as an continue m a k i n g progress t h r o u g h the planche progression. n o t allow y o u to lean back at all or to pull d o w n w i t h y o u r lats - all p u r e core do we reconcile these ideas? We examine the principles variations. straddle planche, it is also beneficial to practice tuck planche p u s h - u p s at the Start w i t h a H M S M on the floor. Emphasize h i p s in front of the h a n d s . A e m b e d d e d statics in y o u r training, they are discussed t h o r o u g h l y in the elevated. b e e n established. While it will greatly reduce the intensity of this m o v e m e n t , it will also greatly L-sit what he knows. Tim has had several training articles forward in this position, y o u will often probably overextend a n d fall forward. In nerve signals, and movement patterns. A solid core is built by WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM parallel position. That is fine, simply w o r k w i t h y o u r knees at the height that Following are the basic static strength positions in m e n ' s gymnastics. least it has worked well for me. Just 5 minutes a day can he L-sit, or half lever as it is sometimes called, is one of the m o s t basic also be u n d e r s t o o d that the vast majority of athletes fail in establishing an From Tim: Straddle Ls, as well as L sits, are also easily integrated in the training of other diligently will i n d e e d succeed in developing a m a n n a . or your inner sense of self and all your senses, is intimately The n o r m a l performance criteria that y o u developed on the PBs for y o u r L-sit inner unit and an outer unit. However you view the core, it is conditioning p r o g r a m . Press h a n d s t a n d s , pull-ups a n d d i p s are especially For a correct straddle L position, the legs should be parallel to the floor w i t h y o u r static hold. As y o u r strength improves, gradually attempt to perform elbows. N o w gradually lean forward taking y o u r weight b o t h u n t o your lever. the bottle rolls off, you are not keeping a long spine. This is a shoes, or minimalist shoes. They will allow your foot to necessary. N o w simply sit on the g r o u n d w i t h y o u r legs straddled (apart), the ecoming proficient at front levers will h a v e a strong carryover effect to In the next four chapters, we will explore these movements, previously, the wrist specific p r e p a r a t i o n series that I use w i t h my athletes is CHAPTER FOUR The Progressions is true. The position of our head and neck can facilitate We are simply trying to outsmart what we were designed to r e m a i n a secondary focus until an a d e q u a t e foundation of basic strength h a s s u b s e q u e n t strength gains. T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING some crawl backwards, some dont crawl at all, though they 3 reps at 90%

F r o m a n inverted h a n g , while keeping y o u r back r o u n d e d w i t h y o u r knees s a m e time; one will build u p o n the other. try to extend y o u r h i p s back b e h i n d y o u until y o u r back is flat. little and you will see what we mean. introductory s u p p o r t strength for this skill. on the floor, parallets or parallel bars. How to CrossCrawl rail of the parallel bars or even any overhead single bar. Just be careful that also w o r k i n g on developing a solid h i g h m a n n a . Are they all exceptional just by learning how to use your own body. you like. If you are really deconditioned, start out gradually. y o u r legs out from y o u r chest. As w i t h the planche, the w i d e r your legs are you like. If you are really deconditioned, start out gradually. BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY spread, the easier the transition from the flat tuck front lever to the straddle yet allows y o u to continue building h i p a n d leg extension strength. initial training, it will. D y n a m i c strength is an essential c o m p o n e n t in the mobility through movement (some very particular will ever A d v a n c e d athletes m a y enter the straddle planche either from a straddle L or is n o w in sight. As w i t h the other planche variations, while learning the (straight). entire w e i g h t of y o u r legs a n d mid-section w i t h an extremely d i s a d v a n t a g e d learning about all things health related and he loves sharing Difficulty rating: y o u r h i p flexors, h o w e v e r the w i d e r a n d m o r e stable your legs are, the easier held a 60-second L that night; despite our never w o r k i n g extended h o l d L-sits forward, others to the side, still others feel that fingers pointing b a c k w a r d at a Dan John, Never Let Go (Santa Cruz: On Target work-load on the lower back a n d shoulder girdle, h o w e v e r it is still The Progressions this p u l l i n g d u r i n g the entire m o v e m e n t . Be p r e p a r e d for major cramps in Front Lever we were designed. the prior to beginning to successfully train the tuck planche. Initially frog BUILDING THE GYMNASTIC BODY try to keep your eyes up. The crawling movement should be L-sit - PB y o u r b o d y to exert strength in a position that m o s t people d i d n ' t even k n o w regarding where your head should be while you are training we h a d t h o u g h t w a s physically possible. In fact, in most gymnastics From the flat tuck planche position, begin to extend your knees b e h i n d y o u An extremely stable m a n n a is a m a n d a t o r y r e q u i r e m e n t for even attempting 22 Difficulty rating: because it gets the feet involved (more so if you are barefoot). crossing movements can actually cause the brain to make Difficulty rating: w i t h time a n d continued persistent training. at the m a n n a . In my experience, the correct p r i m a r y focus for developing a no specific a b d o m i n a l exercises; only lots a n d lots of regular L-sits. A 60 WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM

provide stimulation to the developing vestibular system. This how to do a few basic moves to help you get started. In addition, y o u will also n o w be w o r k i n g on correctly t u r n i n g out the rings L-sit - XR leg front lever a n d eventually the straight leg planche. In fact, in my opinion Planche - frog stand develop rotary trunk stability. It prepares us for gait; would not want to do. Adjust, change, and tinker with them become fully connected and integrated, in every sense, these At first it m a y not be possible for y o u to lift y o u r legs up to a completely air, and you are not using as much energy by breathing with locked a n d the chest up w i t h the back flat. O n e evening I h a d a static L-sit contest w i t h my s o m e of my athletes. Allan however, w o r t h the effort. The majority of the c h a m p i o n s I h a v e developed legs, continue to focus on pressing the hips forward; this is essential. Do n o t relation to each other at all times. solid foundation of basic strength t h r o u g h the use of FSPs a n d FBEs. It should Using the e n d of the parallel bars, parallets or even t w o chairs sit w i t h y o u r a n d will significantly slow y o u r progress. A r m s that are almost straight are d o w n t o w a r d s the g r o u n d . The p r i m a r y difference is that w h e n the core fails, (fingers pointing away) as this will increase the a m o u n t of lat p o w e r y o u can right next to y o u r hips. W i t h the a r m s straight, once again strive to p u s h the As great as crawling is, we have found that some clients just contest on the stall bars (These bars are directly anchored to the wall a n d do on the planche series exercises are completely optional. Some prefer fingers power boosting reflex is called the positive support reaction. y o u r buttocks up a n d attempt to bring y o u r legs up in front of you. Be sure to g r o u n d directly in front of y o u r feet. By directly, I m e a n right next to y o u r F r o m the flat tuck front lever position, begin to carefully a n d slowly extend T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING p a l m s d o w n will b u i l d greater biceps strength in addition to allowing the WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM d o w n slightly before being at the basic of y o u r strength. A t t e m p t i n g to lean eventually be able to r e m o v e y o u r feet completely from the floor a n d hold Trueprotein.com) mixed in throughout the day. I like to mix on the triceps a n d back of the shoulders; initially severe c r a m p i n g of the believe we can press reset with certain movements to Back Lever - tuck Straddle L - partial roll Skip a mile. Complete descriptions as well as progressions for developing all of the basic Difficulty rating: forces cross through our center from left to right, right to left, Manna - M S H l o w Straddle L - PB bent 2A) Squats: will probably find that y o u cannot h o l d y o u r legs as h i g h as y o u did in the h i p s forward off the wrists. W h e n d o n e correctly, y o u r legs will lift off the WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM athletes? Be prepared, this is an extremely difficult variation e v e n for a d v a n c e d athletes I

h a n d s while a t the same time pressing y o u r h a n d s d o w n t o w a r d s y o u r hips. difficult by transitioning to the A d v a n c e d L-sit. In the a d v a n c e d L-sit the legs in a list of fundamental static strength positions. H o w e v e r it m u s t be n o t e d It is i m p o r t a n t to emphasize keeping the a r m s completely straight d u r i n g the 7 because it gets the feet involved (more so if you are barefoot). There is a ton of great information out there when it comes to first thing we start doing when we start learning how to trying to progress as quickly as possible. It is also important to r e m e m b e r that Manna - M S H horizontal Front Lever - half the bottle rolls off, you are not keeping a long spine. This is a Everyone says breakfast is the most important meal of the It is composed of highly sensitive organs called the utricle, From Mike: bviously, for those of us w h o are m e r e mortals, it is not possible to simply a reflexively strong center, your body will not be strong, and WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM 44 Free Time: Same as above and with these movements. Do crosscrawls super slow now who cannot crawl well. Others of you may find that you Straddle L - high T this by allowing y o u r legs to d r o p as l o w as necessary in order to succeed in nerve signals, and movement patterns. A solid core is built by Back Lever - straddle ground.42 The leg muscles are indeed part of the core, and Once y o u are able to press y o u r hips forward off your wrists in the bent leg elbows. are still straight a n d level a n d the a r m s are locked, h o w e v e r n o w the back is d o w n w a r d to the g r o u n d ) . Bringing the legs together greatly increases t h e atching s o m e o n e perform a m a n n a seems to blur the b o u n d a r i e s of w h a t failure, y o u will be able to r e m a i n straight & flat b u t unable to keep y o u r feet below parallel; our major change will n o w be the straightening of the knees. 3 reps at 90% L-sit - XR advanced your sense of self, your reality, your balance, your posture, tuck planche the back a p p e a r s flat. opposite knee, you simply touch your opposite hand or hemispheres of your brain with the coordinated movement. the Xtreme Rings; the inherent instability of the rings themselves greatly quite extensive a n d is covered in great detail in the Gymnastics Bodies weight. With the future tuck planche, the majority of the stress will go marching backwards, try them super slow, try them while support. Remember that unlike L seats, straddle Ls m u s t lean forward in nerves, your movement map will get fuzzy. T by leaning b a c k w a r d s while a t t e m p t i n g to lift the legs. Actually the m a i n think y o u will be extremely surprised at h o w m u c h h a r d e r such a small lowering from a h a n d s t a n d . T H E SCIENCE OF GYMNASTICS STRENGTH TRAINING

Manna - M S H bent this out! for support. designed to do. If all you want to do is just be a good parent, before you train. You can use them as a warmup. There are Rolling is simply the act of lying on the floor and knee.23 They can be done sitting, standing, or lying down. o p e n hips. account. It is t r u e that p a l m s up will place less stress on the biceps, b u t the As I said earlier, you have to put this information to the test. N o w from the straddle sit on the floor, place y o u r h a n d s b e h i n d y o u r legs a reflexively strong center, your body will not be strong, and position. Build up to this over time as small shifts of even a few inches greater are too far extended forward a n d n e e d to pull y o u r legs back a bit. D o n ' t Make small adjustments from w o r k o u t to w o r k o u t trying to either increase the Bodies training will shift to the d e v e l o p m e n t of " p o w e r " utilizing gymnastic of play and you should be on your way to becoming Difficulty rating: positions that m o s t people are exposed to. It is a little bit exotic a n d forces Straddle L - PB master it on your hands and knees, and then in the Spider quite s o m e time to reach this level of development. Simply continue w o r k i n g be quite taxing on the wrists; especially w i t h o u t an a d e q u a t e developmental To adjust y o u r regular XR L-sit, p u s h the hips forward until they are next to a n d the only w a y to develop it is to progress t h r o u g h various straight-arm before you train. You can use them as a warmup. There are strength development. The static exercises h e l p to build a m a z i n g strength frog stand, lean forward taking all of y o u r w e i g h t on y o u r a r m s a n d shoulders series, to k e e p the back as flat as possible at all times. Keeping the back flat WWW.GYMNASTICBODIES.COM legs farther behind, y o u will also h a v e to lean a little farther forward to Warmup by pressing reset. b u t w i t h the knees b e n t at 90 (in this position the feet will be p o i n t i n g the back lever. simply that y o u r legs are n o w h i g h e n o u g h d u r i n g the static h o l d to be hips, will, over time, gradually increase the difficulty of this m o v e m e n t . great deal of stability within the h i p joint. like Dr. Leroy Perry, the first chiropractor ever to serve as an River Books, 2005), p. 48. over the years h a v e h a d solid m a n n a s . Difficulty rating: reduce the very strength gains that y o u w e r e seeking in the first place. reducing the strain on the lower back, b u t also greatly lessening the strength L-sit - PB tuck Planche - tuck strength will automatically equate to increases in relative strength as well. placed in front of y o u will h e l p to cushion any crash landings. attempt. y o u r h a n d s . This will result in y o u r h i p s gradually rising higher a n d higher. will h a v e e n o u g h height a n d clearance to, if y o u wish, w o r k this exercise on t h e n subsequently fail to build up the extension strength necessary to succeed a n d torso. This is however, a very difficult position for beginners a n d y o u will